College notes: Grand Valley State volleyball team plans fundraiser for Haiti relief efforts

The Grand Valley State volleyball team is doing its part to support earthquake relief efforts in Haiti with a "Headbands for Haiti" fundraiser featuring hand-knitted items for sale on campus next week.

The volleyball players will be in the Kirkhof Center on the university's Allendale campus 2 to 4 p.m. Monday selling headbands for $10 apiece. All proceeds are being donated to groups such as Haiti Clinic and Haiti Foundation Against Poverty.

Juniors Leslie Curtis and Rebeccah Rapin and sophomore Nicole Whiddon came up with the idea for the fundraiser. Curtis and her mother visited Haiti last April as part of a community service project.

"I'm really impressed with how much a couple of people caring about something can bring excitement and the positive response that this project has brought," Curtis said in a news release. "We just really want to bring awareness of how important of a catastrophe the earthquake was and that even college students can collaborate and help out, just like we're doing now."

In late April, Curtis, her mother and Rapin plan to travel to Haiti for 10 days to participate in ongoing relief efforts on the island.

College notes

SHELBY MAST, a freshman from Hudsonville, tossed a no-hitter Monday in her college debut to lead the Calvin College softball team to a 7-2 victory against Otterbein College in Tucson, Ariz. She struck out nine, walked one and hit one batter in seven innings. Both of Otterbein's runs scored as the result of errors. The no-hitter is the first by a Calvin softball pitcher since Rachelle Heyboer achieved the feat against Olivet in 2002. The no-hitter also produced Sharon DeKleine's first win as a college head coach.

GRAND VALLEY STATE is one of 18 college institutions to receive a coaching enhancement grant from NCAA Division II. The Lakers will use their grant to fund a women's lacrosse assistant coaching position. The grants provides $16,000 each year to the school to help fund the new, full-time paid position, while GVSU must contribute an additional $8,000 annually. Selections occur every other year.

KATIE MARTIN, a Grand Valley State freshman designated hitter from Ann Arbor, earned GLIAC softball player of the week honors last week. She hit .441 with five doubles, three home runs and 11 RBIs on the Lakers' spring break trip in Clermont. Fla. She had five multi-hit games, including three three-hit games, while striking out just once in 34 at-bats. Martin also went 3-3 on the mound with a team-leading 1.50 ERA and five complete games in seven appearances.

FERRIS STATE football coach Jeff Pierce has appointed Chris Boden and Gary McGraw to his staff. Boden, who spent the past five seasons as head coach at NCAA Division II Northern State in Aberdeen. S.D., will serve as the Bulldogs' offensive coordinator, while McGraw, who spent the past six seasons at Quincy (Ill.), will coach the defensive backs.

JOHN MANTEL of Calvin College finished his standout college basketball career with a fine performance in the NABC Division II All-Star game Saturday in Salem, Va., preceding the NCAA II men's title game. He scored seven points, grabbed five rebounds and had two steals in the West squad's 109-107 overtime loss to the East. He shot 3-of-8 from the field including 1-of-2 from 3-point range.

HEATHER BRUSOKAS, a shortstop on the Davenport University softball team, has been named WHAC player of the week. The junior from Glendale, Calif., went 9-for-13 (.692) at the plate with two doubles, a home run, five RBIs and five runs scored to help lead the Panthers to a 2-2 record last week.

THE GRACE BIBLE men's basketball team had a special reception Wednesday night to celebrate its recent national championship. The school put together a 10-minute video presentation that included footage from trips to Hawaii and Alaska for tournaments and the 68-65 win against Southeastern University (Fla.) in the National Christian College Athletic Association Division II title game March 13 in Springfield, Mo. "It was really a lot of fun," coach Gary Bailey said of the tribute. "We had a great turnout and it was very nice." About 400 people attended the presentation.